Swerve Strickland is at the top of the wrestling world right now. The journey of this success, however, hasn’t been an easy one and he has had to go through some very tough times to get here.
The AEW World Champion recently had an interview with SHAK Wrestling. He discussed things such as his pairing with Prince Nana, who would win a match between Kendrick Lamar and Drake and more.
During the interview, Strickland was asked about his struggles and what was the lowest point of his career. The AEW star mentioned that it was right before he got the Lucha Underground opportunity:
“Definitely earlier on. Feeling lowest was like probably right before Lucha Underground came around. It was like, ‘oh man, it’s either I continue on this independence or I just got to go to Japan for a year, find a way to do that,’ Which I still didn’t have like a real connection or any type of link to get to that.
Either that or just like I’m gonna have to go full-time active duty in the military. It was like that turning point, and then Lucha Underground came in as an opportunity. It wasn’t even just a contract; it was more of like a tryout for Lucha Underground in dark matches. They didn’t even know yet.”
The Lowest Point
Swerve Strickland started wrestling while he was still serving in the United States Army Reserve. Having to balance his day job with his wrestling aspirations while also having little kids was almost an impossible task for him:
“So that was probably the most turning point because it was like two kids, employment wasn’t really working out as much. Check to check, check to check, like little cash here and there on the independence. But that was probably the lowest point.
[I] didn’t even have a car, I was definitely borrowing cars or getting on the train to get to Philadelphia for CCW events or jumping in carpools and rides and things like that. There’s just a lot going on. Trying to maintain a successful wrestling career and a job consistent employment, almost impossible. Probably harder nowadays than it was 10 years ago. So that’s definitely like my turning point though.”
Fortunately for Swerve, Lucha Underground signed him to a contract in 2014. He quickly became one of the most prominent characters of the show wrestling under the ring name of Killshot.
The Lucha Underground run opened the doors for Strickland’s WWE signing in 2019. When the company let him go while cutting costs during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, Swerve joined AEW and the rest is history.
Former AEW World Champion Hangman Page never fails to express his hatred towards the current champion, Swerve Strickland. ‘Hangman’ believes that his arch-rival should have never won the title and he feels that their beef could be settled if he could erase Swerve’s name from the history books.
Page recently spoke to Paste Magazine about a number of topics including their personal feud with Strickland. During the interview, Page emphasized that his persona is inseparable from his real-life identity. He described the trauma of Strickland breaking into his home, leading him and his family to leave the house they cherished. Page has now vowed to erase Strickland’s name from wrestling history, saying:
“He should never have won it. He shouldn’t have it today. He shouldn’t have it tomorrow. It should be mine. If it were mine, I would do everything that I could to erase his name from history of all wrestling from this planet. What would “settle it” would be that, for me to erase him from history altogether, to let his name disappear into the wind and let him be nothing, nothing to anyone else. To solve it would be for him to drop to his knees in front of me and beg for my mercy. On his knees, begging for my mercy. I would never give it, but he should beg for it.”
Hangman Page’s crowning achievement
Page expressed a deep personal connection to the AEW World Championship. It’s been a little over a couple of years since he dropped. He labeled it “one of the crowning achievements” of his life. He feels the title has strayed from its true meaning since he lost it.
Bryan Danielson will challenge Swerve Strickland for the title at this weekend’s AEW All In: London. ‘The American Dragon’ has put his career on the line for the title match. When asked if Danielson’s potential victory could restore the meaning, Hangman said:
“He is a fantastic wrestler. He’s one of the best to have ever lived, and admittedly, he doesn’t have long left, and he’s okay with the idea of this being it. I just want to draw a stark contrast to maybe how he feels about that championship and how I feel about it. I’m not okay never holding it again. I’m not okay with it in the hands of the person that it’s in. I would not be okay walking away from this in the state that things are in right now. And if that’s how [Danielson] feels about it, about the championship, about the World champion, I can’t say that I have any respect at all for that.”
Hangman Page acknowledged the connection he’s built with fans but he doesn’t want their support if they don’t actively oppose Strickland. He also harbors resentment toward the Elite and held them responsible for his suspension, which allowed Strickland to win the championship. He said:
“…maybe I created some kind of a connection, especially in the beginning of AEW, with certain fans, you know. I don’t know. And if they are with me on this ride that I am on now, then I do appreciate it. But unless they’re willing to attack [Swerve] in the parking lot, unless they’re willing to call out what he did for what it is, and not acknowledge him at all as a champion, then I don’t want their support.”
He added:
“Had it not been for them, I would have never been suspended. They could have fought that. I stuck up for them. So many times they stuck up for me too, but this last time they could have stuck up for me and I would have not been suspended. [Swerve] would have never won the World championship and right now, to me, that is unforgivable. I don’t know that it can be forgiven. But I’m not really worried about [the Elite] right now.”
On last night’s AEW Dynamite Page announced that he will enter the Casino gauntlet match at this Sunday’s All In. As he begins his quest to reclaim his title, winning the match will earn him a AEW World title shot in the future.
In an interview with the BBC’s Paul Frank, Danielson spoke openly about putting his career on the line and shared that he has accepted the possibility of retiring at All In.
“…I’m very much at peace with it(Retirement). If I wasn’t at peace with it, we wouldn’t have done that, right,” said Danielson. He continued, “… I’ve been wrestling for 25 years now at this point, and to me, it’s now or nothing. You know what I mean as far as winning the AEW World Championship. I came in and said I was going to kick people’s heads in, and I was going to win the AEW World Championship, and I’ve kicked a lot of people’s heads in but haven’t won a single title.”
Danielson noted that AEW Backstage Interviewer Alex Marvez shared the number of title matches he’s failed to win. In fact, “The American Dragon” hasn’t held a championship since he was the WWE SmackDown Tag Team with Erick Rowan in 2019. All In presents one final chance to win gold before his career ends. However, he is also at content with retiring with a defeat to Strickland.
Bryan Danielson On Family Helping His Decision To Potentially Retire
Danielson admits in the interview that one of the reasons that he has accepted potentially retiring is being with his family. He noted that as his daughter gets older, she notices when he gets hurt and doesn’t like it. The AEW superstar feels he is in a different stage of his life compared to his retirement from WWE in 2016, which is to walk away from in-ring competition finally.
“… My life is just different now. When I was forced to retire, I wasn’t ready. 2015 was kind of my last match, but you know, I was forced to retire in 2016, but at that point, I’m 35 years old and I’m just like this doesn’t feel right. I also didn’t have anything else to like, really put my focus and my attention towards, and now I do. Now I have a wonderful family that I really excited about spending time with and that sort of nothing. So yeah, it’s a very different place when it’s by choice rather than you’re forced.”
Despite being open to retirement, fans should expect Danielson to compete with everything he has to win the AEW World Championship. He has shown throughout his career that he can rise to the occasion when the odds are stacked against him.
Tonight’s All Elite Wrestling Dynamite episode will take place at the Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Virginia. It will be the last Dynamite in the United States before the company heads overseas on the road to All In on August 25.
AEW Dynamite Tonight
Here is what has been announced to occur on tonight’s show
Jay Lethal vs. Adam Page
Three-Way Match for the Number One Spot In Casino Gauntlet At All In: Roderick Strong vs. Orange Cassidy vs. Kyle O’Reilly
Swerve Strickland vs. Wheeler Yuta
AEW TBS Championship Match: (C) Mercedes Moné vs. Hikaru Shida
AEW World Tag Team Championship: (C) The Young Bucks vs. The Acclaimed
Plus, Dynamite will also feature:
Hook to appear
A Flim By Mariah May segment
Kazuchika Okada & Claudio Castagnoli Face to Face
The Acclaimed Finally Get Their Title Opportunity
The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster) are set to challenge The Young Bucks (Matthew Jackson & Nicholas Jackson) for the tag titles. The fan-favorite duo earned the opportunity after defeating the champions in an eliminator match on the June 19 episode of AEW Dynamite. After nearly two months of building to their rematch, both teams will try to settle their differences and end the episode with the AEW World Tag Team Championships.
(AEW)
Mercedes Moné Puts Title On The Line Ahead of All In
In preparation for her match against Dr. Britt Baker, DMD, at All In, Moné puts her title on the line against Shida. The matchup will be the “CEO” fifth time defending the AEW TBS Championship since winning it at Double or Nothing on May 26.
(AEW)
Swerve Strickland Faces Wheeler Yuta In Non-Title Match
Elsewhere in the episode, Strickland takes on Yuta in a non-title match to get ready for his title defense at All In. Bryan Danielson will be in the corner of his Blackpool Combat Club ally and get a preview of what to expect from the champion at the upcoming pay-per-view.
(AEW)
Number One Spot In Casino Gauntlet Will Be Determined
Another important match on tonight’s episode is the three-way match to determine who will have the number one spot in the Casino Gauntlet. Strong, Cassidy, and O’Reilly will push each other to their limit to gain an advantage in the featured All In match.
What Happened On Last Week’s AEW Dynamite Episode
Before tonight’s episode, here is a recap of what happened last week.
Stay tuned to SEScoops for our continued coverage of Dynamite and the upcoming AEW All In 2024 PPV on Sunday, August 25.
AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland has released a brand new album, mere days ahead of arguably the biggest match of his career. Strickland’s eleven-track album ‘Motion Sickness‘ features Flash Garments and is hosted by DJ Whoo Kid. The album also features his Big Pressure Trill Mix with Westside Gunn and Bun B.
— The Realest Swerve Strickland (@swerveconfident) August 12, 2024
Strickland’s release comes mere days ahead of his AEW World Championship match with Bryan Danielson at All In: London 2024. For Strickland, the first male African American AEW World Champion, the match will be his biggest title defense to date with tens of thousands of fans expected to fill Wembley Stadium.
When not making history in the ring, Swerve Strickland performs as part of the hip-hop group Swerve City and also performs solo as Swerve the Realest. Earlier this month, Strickland released a music video for Big Pressure Trill Mix. The video blends Strickland’s passion for music and wrestling and sees the reigning AEW World Champion with his title.
Strickland’s multi-faceted efforts in entertainment have enamored him to wrestling fans and hip-hop fans alike. Stay tuned to SE Scoops for the latest on Swerve Strickland
Swerve Strickland believes MJF has nothing left to prove to anyone but the fact that he continues to work hard on his craft is a testament to his passion.
The AEW World Heavyweight Champion recently spoke to Sports Illustrated and he was specifically asked about the Salt of The Earth.
Revealing his first impression of the current American Champion, Strickland claimed that he instantly noticed the hunger the 28 year old had for getting better:
“All I remember about him was his hunger, he wasn’t afraid. That’s what set him apart–he didn’t have that fear of going wherever he needed to be to get better.”
According to Swerve Strickland, MJF always wanted to be around great competition. He put himself around top talent since a very young age to test himself and that’s how he got good:
“I don’t think Max has anything left to prove, that’s how good he is. But he’ll never tell himself that or allow himself to believe that. He’ll always keep working.”
Swerve Strickland has a big challenge lined up for him at the upcoming All In PPV where he defends his championship against the 2024 Owen Hart Cup winner Bryan Danielson in a title vs career match.
MJF on the other hand will be challenged by Will Ospreay at the show on August 25. The current champion originally beat Ospreay for the title then known as the International Championship on the July 17 episode of Dynamite.
He then replaced the belt with a new one, calling it the American Championship. He has since defended the championship in Mexico and UK.
Bryan Danielson is putting his pro wrestling career on the line at the AEW All-In pay-per-view later this month.
The American Dragon was cutting a promo on the July 31st AEW Dynamite, where he told the fans that his contract with the company was officially up tomorrow. He then reminded everyone of the promise he made when he first joined AEW back in 2021, which was to ‘Kick Some Heads In,’ and win the AEW World Championship. Danielson stated that at All In, he would finish that promise.
That brought out the AEW World Champion, Swerve Strickland. Swerve told Danielson that he also said he would win the company’s top prize, managed to do it in less time, and even beat opponents that Danielson had previously lost to. He called Danielson one of the best of all time, but that he was “one of a kind.” Swerve’s rant ended after whispering to Danielson that he wouldn’t be walking out of All In because of the beating he was about to endure.
Danielson refused to let Swerve walk away that easy. He then declared that he would retire from the sport forever if hedidn’t win the world title at AEW All In.
Danielson earned the opportunity against Swerve by winning the 2024 Owen Hart Memorial tournament. He’s unsuccessfully challenged for the world title multiple times, including against MJF, Adam Page, and Jon Moxley.
AEW All In takes place on August 25th from Wembley Stadium in London, England. Bryan Danielson vs. Swerve Strickland: AEW World Title vs. Career is set to be the main event.
Swerve Strickland knows Bryan Danielson is one of the best to ever do it, but he claims that despite his long career, The American Dragon has never met anyone like him.
The two AEW stars are set to square off at the biggest possible stage in the upcoming All In event from Wembley Stadium in London on August 25. Bryan has earned the right to challenge for Swerve’s World Title after winning the Owen hart Cup Tournament.
The AEW World Champion spoke about the upcoming bout in a new interview with Sports Illustrated. He first acknowledged the illustrious career of his opponent, saying that Bryan is a first-ballot Hall of Famer:
“Bryan’s not just experienced, he’s the greatest of all time. That’s who I’m going up against–a first ballot Hall of Famer. I’ve never faced anyone like him. But he’s never faced anyone like me.”
Special Breed Of Danger
Though despite this being the toughest challenge of his reign yet, Swerve Strickland is ready to give it all. According to him, he’s a special breed of danger that the former WWE star has never encountered before:
“Bryan told me I’m a special breed of talent, I’m also a special breed of danger. I know we wrestled before, but he’s never faced me like this. Bryan is facing me after my Texas Deathmatch against Hangman Page. He’s facing me after I beat Will Ospreay–and Christian Cage and Samoa Joe. I’m a different beast. I can’t wait for him to see it.”
Another thing that makes the upcoming match interesting is the AEW status of Bryan Danielson. The wrestling veteran has confirmed that his last full-time contract with the company expires on August 1.
While the former WWE star is not expected to leave Tony Khan’s promotion anytime soon, there is much speculation on what his next deal will look like.
With his health being a concern as well, it’s possible that the 43-year-old may take a long break from wrestling after the Wembley event.
Team AEW was victorious over The Elite on this week’s edition of Dynamite in a brutal Blood and Guts match that left the heels with no choice but to forfeit.
Jack Perry and Darby Allin started the match for their respective teams and the TNT Champion maintained the advantage over Allin with a trash can and extension cord.
Jack Perry sends Darby Allin flying like a lawn dart!
Nick Jackson was the next arrival, giving the Elite a distinct advantage, and ROH World Champion Mark Briscoe was the first wrestler to bleed significantly after having his face scraped across the cage.
The #ROH World Champion Mark Briscoe has arrived to even the odds for #TeamAEW!
Matt Jackson was out next to join his brother but Anthony Bowens would change the complexion of the match. Bowens used scissors and stabbed Perry in the head, earning “You Sick F***” chants from the crowd.
The Scissor King, Anthony Bowens is here to reinforce #TeamAEW!
Kazuchika Okada, wielding a ‘Rainmaker’ street sign was next to enter the cage and Max Caster followed with a microphone and he retrieved a barbed-wire board from under the ring. This came back to haunt The Acclaimed as the Young Bucks sent Bowens into it, prompting “Holy S***” chants from the crowd.
In case things weren’t already violent enough, thumbtacks were introduced next and poured into Caster’s mouth. ‘Hangman’ Adam Page was supposed to arrive next but didn’t. Instead, the Cowboy waited for Swerve Strickland’s entrance so he could ambush the reigning AEW World Champion.
Hangman Adam Page only has his eyes on #AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland and now #AEWBLOODandGUTS begins!
Swerve was left locked out of the cage and Page, under the threat of being fired, got in the cage as demanded by Nick Jackson. Jeff Jarrett would help free Strickland’s trapped hand, allowing him to enter the cage.
Swerve and Hangman finally get their hands on each other!
Staple Guns were introduced via a briefcase that the Bucks had brought to the match. Despite this, Team AEW fought on with Darby Allin delivering a Coffin Drop to Jack Perry.
The finish of the match also involved Allin and Perry as the TNT Champion was handcuffed to the wall and took some kendo shots but refused to quit. Mark Briscoe followed with a chair shot to the head of Perry, but that still wasn’t enough. Allin then retrieved a gasoline can and threatened to see Perry ablaze. Fearing the loss of life of his ally, Matt Jackson gave in, awarding Allin a TNT title match at All In, and forfeiting Blood & Guts.
Darby Allin wants his TNT Championship Match at #AEWAllIn and will set Jack Perry ON FIRE to get it!
This year’s Blood & Guts certainly delivered the violence that fans have come to expect with the brutal stipulation. After months of having control, the Elite’s loss is a huge setback for the group, and could be a sign of things to come next month in Wembley Stadium.
All Elite Wrestling isn’t holding back with their 250th episode of Dynamite with a stacked card already announced for the July 17, show.
Close to five years after the first episode of Dynamite in October 2019, AEW will celebrate its milestone figure next week from the Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The crowd will not only get to watch the 250th episode of Dynamite, but AEW will also tape the July 19, edition of Rampage at the show.
MJF Vs. Will Ospreay
On the July 10, edition of Dynamite, MJF, fresh off last week’s heel turn, had some verbal barbs for Will Ospreay. MJF belittled the “flippy guy” and said he’s seen countless wrestlers like Ospreay come and go throughout his career. MJF then announced his plans to challenge Ospreay for the AEW International Title next week. Ospreay, who was in the ring, accepted the challenge.
"If you get in the ring with me, you will be exposed."
It will be champion vs. champion next week when AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland faces AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada. Strickland appeared following Bryan Danielson’s victory in the Owen Hart Men’s Tournament and spoke about his challenger for AEW All In.
Strickland also revealed that he will be on Team AEW against the Elite for the upcoming Blood & Guts match. Strickland ended his promo by challenging Okada for a match for Dynamite 250 that has been made official, and added that All In will be Bryan Danielson’s ‘final countdown.’
#AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland makes a challenge to the AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada!
At Forbidden Door, Mercedes Mone became a double champion and the CEO is ready to take on (almost) all comers. On Twitter, Mone said that she will defend her titles in an open challenge on AEW Dynamite 250. This challenge can be accepted by anyone, with the exception of Britt Baker.
To celebrate #AEWDynamite250 next week in Little Rock, I am going to have an open challenge for my TBS Title. The challenge is open to any woman on the AEW Roster except @RealBrittBaker
— Mercedes Moné Varnado (@MercedesVarnado) July 11, 2024
Bryan Danielson is at the top of Swerve Strickland’s list of opponents he wants to face.
Swerve once again defended his AEW World title successfully against Will Ospreay in the main event of Forbidden Door 2024 from UBS arena in New York.
The AEW star took part in the post-show media scrum after his victory. He was asked about Bryan Danielson competing in the Owens Hart Foundation Cup Tournament and if he was still gunning for a re-match against the American Dragon.
The winner of the Owen tournament is set to receive a world title shot at the upcoming All In PPV from Wembley Stadium. Swerve Strickland referenced this fact, saying that Bryan is in the position to gun for him now:
“I think he’s at the position to gun for me now, especially after tonight. But I still want that win back so bad. That’s something that still irks me to this day, that loss from Bryan. Because he’s someone I idolize and look up to, especially coming from the Pacific Northwest. We both share the Seattle-Tacoma native background.”
Swerve Strickland Wants His Win Back
Swerve Strickland then mentioned that he has been following Bryan’s career for a long time and he is determined to get his win back from the former world champion:
“And from his career for the last 10, 15 years I’ve been watching and studying that man. And getting in the ring with him, feeling how special he is? That’s a win that I need to mark off of my list. And I don’t have a long list really, it’s very small. But definitely, Bryan Danielson’s at the top of it.”
Strickland has shared the ring with Bryan only once. The two had a singles match at the October 10, 2023 episode of Dynamite where Danielson picked up the victory.
The former WWE star picked up another victory at the Forbidden Door PPV tonight. Bryan defeated Shingo Takagi in a quarterfinal match of The Owen Cup, getting him one step closer to a shot at Strickland’s world title.
You can check out the full Forbidden Door 2024 media scrum below:
The AEW World Champion defended his title against Will Ospreay in a hard-fought match in the main event of the Forbidden Door 2024 PPV from UBS Arena in New York.
Both the competitors got special entrances for the match. Will Ospreay entered first paying tribute to the legendary Hayabusa with a mask during his entrance.
Strickland then got a special introduction from rapper Jim Jones who came out with the AEW Title and handed it to Swerve when he appeared.
The match was every bit as brutal as expected with both the stars missing no opportunity to take things to the extreme. This included a crossbody Ospreay delivered to Swerve over the top rope very early in the bout, taking the champion outside.
The ending of the bout saw Ospreay accidentally knocking out the referee with a Hidden Blade. Don Callis then appeared at the ringside to hand his client a screwdriver, before being tackled by Prince Nana.
Ospreay thought about using the screwdriver on Nana but then threw it away. The distraction allowed Swerve to recover and he hit Will Ospreay with a House Call.
A new referee showed up to continue the match and Strickland then delivered a second and third house call to finally put Will Ospreay down.
Will Ospreay appears to be moving away from the world title picture for the moment as his next feud has already been teased on AEW Programming.
After an opening segment between Ospreay, MJF and Daniel Garcia on this week’s Dynamite, both MJF and Garcia were shown to be watching tonight’s world title match very closely.
The tease at Forbidden Door only further confirms that AEW is building towards an MJF vs Will Ospreay match for the upcoming All In PPV from London, with Garcia playing a crucial part in this rivalry.
If you thought Swerve Strickland was a man on an island heading into Forbidden Door against Will Ospreay, think again.
Strickland happened to team with his opponent on the go-home episode of AEW Dynamite to face The Gates Of Agony. Swerve and Ospreay ended up winning the fight, but not without their share of trouble. Ospreay accidentally kicked Swerve in the face and post-match, it prompted Swerve to drop Ospreay. The AEW Collision elevated that tension ahead of Sunday.
Fan footage has Swerve and Will confronting one another on the entryway ahead of their big Forbidden Door battle. Swerve once more broke a cardinal rule of Will’s by once again bringing up his family, but this time the champ had some literal big back-up.
EJ Nduka happened to be standing behind Swerve as he mentioned Ospreay’s wife and it led to a pull apart brawl onstage, with Kyle Fletcher and Nduka taking swings at one another.
As #AEW readies for Forbidden Door this weekend, the go-home of #AEWCollision tapings had Swerve Strickland confronting Will Ospreay.
Nduka has been a blue chip acquisition by AEW since 2023, but The Judge had yet to make his TV debut until this coming Saturday. Nduka impressed Tony Khan and AEW in a memorable tryout match against Konosuke Takeshita, but has been kept on the back-burner since. The Judge was in WWE developmental for a time, but was released during the pandemic.
EJ eventually found opportunity to hone his craft in Major League Wrestling as he was a dominant force on their programming. Along with Calvin Tankman, Nduka captured the MLW World Tag Team Titles and Nduka also had a World Title program with then champion, Alex Hammerstone
Swerve Strickland is enjoying his time as AEW World Champion and recently showed off a new grill.
Formerly known as Swerve Scott in WWE, he was released during the pandemic. By the time Triple H wanted him back, Swerve was already under contract with AEW and couldn’t enter talks. Tony Khan has taken good care of Strickland, and he is now sitting on top of the Land of All Elite.
Swerve’s hard work has paid off, leading to his reign as AEW World Champion. He’s living it up and has plenty to be proud of.
Swerve Strickland will defend the AEW World Title against Roderick Strong on the June 5th episode of AEW Dynamite.
The bout came together on the June 1st episode of AEW Collision, with Strong saying he was supposed to be the last man in the Casino Gauntlet on Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite. Strong suggested to Tony Khan that he should face Swerve for the championship on Dynamite. Tony Khan agreed that it was a good idea, giving him the title match.
Roderick Strong makes a HUGE CHALLENGE for #AEWDynamite NEXT WEEK in Colorado!
Roderick Strong has a message for Swerve Strickland, which he shared in a viral video after the June 1 AEW Collision broadcast.
“SWERVE! Listen, I don’t care what you do when you drive. I care what you do in that ring. When I’m looking back through the history books, I’m 2-0 against you. So, you may be the AEW World Champion for now, but come Wednesday in Colorado, I will be your new AEW World Champion.”
After defeating Lio Rush on June 1, 2024, AEW Collision, Strong appealed to Tony Khan for a match for the AEW World Title on the June 5 episode of AEW Dynamite. Now, Strong has the chance to win the most prestigious prize he has yet to challenge for in his AEW career. Obviously, Swerve Strickland is not ready to give up his title just yet.
Swerve Strickland is set to put his AEW World Championship on the line against Roderick Strong on this week’s AEW Dynamite.
Strong dropped the AEW International Championship against Will Ospreay at last weekend’s AEW Double Or Nothing pay-per-view. It seems that the Undisputed Kingdom member has his sights set ton the AEW World title.
He picked up a win over Lio Rush on last night’s AEW Collision. He asked Tony Khan for a shot at Swerve’s title so that he becomes the one to defend the title at the upcoming AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door on June 30. Khan felt it was a good idea and agreed to his proposal to book the match for Dynamite.
Roderick Strong makes a HUGE CHALLENGE for #AEWDynamite NEXT WEEK in Colorado!
The upcoming edition of Dynamite will emanate from Blue Arena in Loveland, Colorado. The show will feature the return of MJF to the show after he made surprise appearance at Double Or Nothing. Meanwhile, Saraya is also scheduled to face Mariah May
Swerve Strickland already has another title defense lined up
During the May 29 edition of AEW Dynamite, a Casino Gauntlet match took place to determine Strickland’s challenger at AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door pay-per-view on Sunday, June 30. The match was ultimately won by Will Ospreay, who is all set to challenge Strickland at the show. This will mark the third annual of the crossover event featuring AEW and NJPW stars.
Well, Swerve Strickland also feels that this is the right time to have a WWE-AEW crossover. Read more below:
WWE and AEW may be the most direct competition of one another, but that doesn’t mean that a crossover between the companies isn’t possible.
Since AEW launched in 2019, both companies have taken aim at each other both on and off TV. While AEW Dynamite won the Wednesday Night Wars, it was WWE NXT that won the October 2023 ‘Tuesday Night War’ against AEW’s weekly flagship show.
Swerve Strickland On WWE-AEW Crossover
Reigning AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland knows what it’s like to work in both companies, though his WWE tenure ended long before the current regime. Speaking to The Bootleg Kev podcast, Strickland was asked about a potential crossover between WWE and AEW.
“If there’s ever a time it could happen, now is more likely than it’s ever been. I don’t think either person [Tony Khan and Triple H] is opposed… I don’t think there’s ever been a time that’s more likely than now.”
It’s not hard to see why Strickland feels like a team-up is more likely than ever before. In recent years, WWE has become more open to working with other promotions, as seen with TNA’s Jordynne Grace’s appearance on the May 28, WWE NXT. Grace will face NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez at NXT Battleground.
Though a crossover event has yet to happen, WWE and AEW have worked together in the past. Billy Gunn was allowed to appear at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony in 2019 despite being part of AEW at the time. The future ‘Daddy Ass’ was inducted as part of D-Generation X.
In 2022, multiple AEW stars appeared on Raw to wish John Cena congratulations on the 20th anniversary of his WWE debut. Bryan Danielson, Chris Jericho, and Paul Wight were among those who sent their best to John, with this sign of cohesion showing just how much respect Cena carries across pro wrestling.
AEW brought the fallout from Double or Nothing with plenty of action. Dynamite ended with a Casino Gauntlet match to determine who will face AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland at Forbidden Door.
The match began with Jay White and Pac, and Juice Robinson, back from injury, was with the Bullet Club Gold faction. Mistico and Will Ospreay joined next, and the first pinfall or submission would determine the winner.
Shota Umino, from NJPW, entered the situation next, and he received a very good response from the LA crowd. Claudio Castagnoli came in next, immediately chasing Jay White out of the ring. Shota and Claudio exchanged forearms, and Umino endured The Swing during the commercial break.
Despite being beaten down by Trent Beretta earlier tonight, Orange Cassidy rolls the dice for his chance to walk through the #ForbiddenDoor!
Lio Rush made his AEW return as a member of the NJPW roster, joining the match through the Forbidden Door. Orange Cassidy, bandaged from an earlier beatdown by Trent, came out next. Hechicero from CMLL joined, diving right into the action.
The Mad Scientist Hechicero goes straight to work!
In the end, Will Ospreay nailed a cutter on Orange Cassidy and secured the win. Already the AEW International Champion, Ospreay now has a chance to become a double champion at Forbidden Door.
THE BILLY GOAT DID IT!
Will Ospreay will challenge #AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland at #ForbiddenDoor on June 30th!
After the match, Swerve Strickland came out to give his new challenger a closer look.
2024 Forbidden Door Event
Forbidden Door event and will take place on June 30, 2024, at the UBS Arena in the Long Island hamlet of Elmont, New York.
We already know that a ladder match will take place for the vacant TNT Title. Adam Copeland was stripped of the title this week during Dynamite due to an injury he suffered at Double or Nothing.
AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland has revealed that Boxing legend Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather’s appearance at last night’s Double Or Nothing was long time coming.
During the AEW Double or Nothing post-show media scrum, he was asked about how Floyd Mayweather’s attendance materialized. The World Champion revealed that ‘Money’ has been a friend. He said that since he has connections, he would bring people like Floyd Mayweather to “blow this place up.”
“Floyd has been a friend of ours, my man Flash Garments, he gets a free pass every time he comes to All Elite Wrestling. We’re here to grow and not just take. If we have opportunities and connections, we’re going to bring them here every single time. We want to blow this place up and be the catalyst of it. That’s how Floyd came through.”
He added that Floyd’s appearance has been in the discussions for two years and finally was able to make it at Double Or Nothing. Swerve Strickland said:
“We’ve actually been talking to Floyd for like two years. His whole family, have him come through every time we’re in Vegas. Finally, he was like, ‘Alright, this is the day. We’re pulling up.’ He pulled up, made it to the match, we pulled out a banger in front of him. He’s like, ‘I’m in.’ We might have Money Team invested in this whole thing,”
Floyd Mayweather Jr. has made a handful of appearances for WWE in the past. He defeated The Big Show (Paul Wight) at WrestleMania 24 to script one of the biggest moments in the company. His last appearance for the promotion took place back in 2009. Meanwhile, this marked his first appearance in AEW.
This marked Swerve Strickland’s first title defense at a pay-per-view since dethroning Samoa Joe at AEW Dynasty last month. He will be gearing up for his next title match that will take place at AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door pay-per-view on Sunday, June 30.
It has been announced that on the May 29, edition of AEW Dynamite, a Casino Battle Royale take place to determine the Strickland’s challenger at the upcoming pay-per-view.
Swerve Strickland knows MJF challenging him for the World Title is a real possibility but according to him, the returning star has a lot of work to do before he gets a shot at the title.
The Salt of The Earth made his triumphant return at tonight’s Double or Nothing PPV and confronted Adam Cole. After taking out Cole, MJF confirmed that he will not be leaving AEW anytime soon.
Swerve took part in the post-Double or Nothing media scrum after successfully defending the AEW title against Christian Cage at the PPV. He was asked about the possibility of the Devil challenging for his title, and Strickland said that it’s a real possibility:
“It’s a possibility, and that’s the beauty of this whole company: everything’s possible. I know he has probably some unfinished business with what Undisputed Kingdom did to him and Adam Cole, he probably wants to finish up some things. But it just goes to show you, I’m not one of the ones you can just walk over and come at any time, any place, anywhere when you see fit. While you were gone, I was building. And while I was building, I was making this place a fortress.”
You’ve Got Work To Do: Swerve Strickland
Swerve Strickland said that he is not against MJF challenging for the title at a future date. According to the current champion, however, our favorite scumbag will have to prove himself worthy of a title shot first:
“So you can come in. And I’m not even saying you can’t even challenge for the World Championship. But you got work to do, just like I had work to do. You’ve got work to do. Show me something, because this ain’t the same All Elite Wrestling from where you left.”
The AEW star said that the company has changed a lot since MJF lost the AEW title at the World’s End PPV in December last year. It’s up to the former champion to figure out where he fits in this new picture of the promotion.
You can check out the full Double or Nothing media scrum below:
The AEW World Championship reign of Swerve Strickland is going strong after retaining the gold against Christian Cage at Double or Nothing 2024.
In the penultimate match of the night, Strickland and Cage met with Swerve having Prince Nana in his corner while Cage had the might of the Patriarchy. With the numbers advantage in his favor, Christian took the early advantage. Things went from bad to worse for the champion after interference from Nick Wayne resulted in Prince Nana being ejected from the ringside area.
They always get the second guy! Nick Wayne's underhanded tactics get Prince Nana ejected!
Despite this, Strickland was able to fight back and withstand all that Cage was able to deliver. The finish of the match saw Swerve hit his patented Swerve Stomp and Swerve’s House to get the win and retain the gold.
After retaining the title, Strickland had quite the celebration and even shared the screen with boxing legend (and WWE WrestleMania 24 competitor) Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather.
With the AEW World Championship still in his possession, Swerve Strickland will now look ahead to his next title match which will come at the AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door pay-per-view. On the May 29, edition of AEW Dynamite, a Casino Battle Royale will determine Strickland’s opponent at the upcoming crossover event. At this time, no names have been confirmed for the battle royale.
AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door 2024 will on Sunday, June 30, 2024, from the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York. It will be the third annual Forbidden Door event and once again see AEW talent and stars from New Japan Pro Wrestling face off. Keep tuned to SE Scoops for all the news regarding AEW and the Forbidden Door show.
AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland hopes to one day have a creative mind for wrestling that matches that of the late Windham ‘Bray Wyatt’ Rotunda.
Rotunda died in August 2023 at the age of 36. He had been pulled from WWE programming earlier that same year due to health issues. Before then the three-time WWE World Champion had been feuding with Bobby Lashley and a match had been planned for WrestleMania 39 in SoFi Stadium.
Swerve Strickland on Bray Wyatt
Rotunda’s tragically young passing came less than a year after his return to WWE in October 2022. In the weeks before his return at the Extreme Rules PLE, WWE teased something with their popular ‘White Rabbit’ mystery. Speaking to Adrian Hernandez, Strickland reflected on the White Rabbit.
“It was small things and it was layered and sprinkled out… Bray was just patient with that and he was meticulous and he was calculated.”
The AEW World Champion admitted to being very impressed with the White Rabbit, and hopes he can have a similarly creative mind for the business.
“Everything that he did, it came from him. I was always appreciative of that. For me, I would hope to have such a deep mind like that.“
What’s To Come?
While Rotunda is no longer with us, the enigmatic White Rabbit mystery has been revitalized with the ongoing QR code mystery. It is believed that the series of clues is building to the return of Uncle Howdy, as played by Bo Dallas. The former NXT Champion is expected to return alongside a faction consisting of Nikki Cross, Erick Rowan, Joe Gacy, and Dexter Lumis.
As for Strickland, he will defend the AEW World Championship later today at Double or Nothing 2024. Strickland will defend the title against Christian Cage in the champion’s first title defense on pay-per-view.
Chris Jericho and Swerve Strickland are joining hands together for a musical night.
AEW announced that Fozzy, the heavy metal band whose lineup consists of vocalist Chris Jericho, will be performing before All In. The convert is set to take place on Friday, August 23, at the O2 Forum Kentish Town in London, England, United Kingdom.
Wrestler Swerve Strickland and musical artist Flash Garments will be joining Fozzy on that night at the show.
You can check out the official performance below:
FOZZY have announced their hugely anticipated return to the UK capital with a date at London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town. Promising an explosive Friday evening of rock and rap, the show kickstarts a weekend that culminates in the return of AEW (All Elite Wrestling) to London’s Wembley Stadium on Sunday 25th August.
If it’s not enough for fans to have FOZZY, with their heavy melodic groove and fronted by 8 time World Champion Chris Jericho headlining the night, fans will go crazy knowing that direct support comes from current AEW World Champion: Swerve Strickland. Swerve Strickland & Flash Garments will be performing their first concert as a rap duo in the UK.
Tickets to the show can be purchased from Ticketmaster.
AEW All In is set to take place t the Wembley Stadium in London on August 25, 2024. No matches have been announced for the event yet.
But before that, AEW’s next PPV is going to be the 2024 Double or Nothing, which will take place on May 26, 2024 during the Memorial Day weekend at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Paradise, Nevada. Thhe main event will see Swerve Strickland defend his AEW World Championship against Christian Cage. You can check out the full event card here.
On Friday, May 10, Strickland showed up at DEFY Here And Now. In a video clip that surfaced on social media, ‘Swerve’ delivered a passionate promo. He said that the Seattle-based promotion played a pivotal role in becoming successful. The Washinton-born wrestler further thanked DEFY Wrestling for providing the platform and said that they are “setting the tone” in the wrestling industry.
Strickland recalled his headlining match against Cody Rhodes at the inaugural DEFY show and gave a shoutout to ‘The American Nightmare.’ The former WWE wrestler then showered praise on the current members of DEFY roster and expressed his gratitude towards the promotion, where his career started to take off.
Swerve Strickland then thanked the fans for their support and revealed his gift to the fans – a free meet-and-greet session following the show. The segment ended with Strickland asking “Whose House?” as the fans responded: “Swerve’s House.”
Strickland parted ways with DEFY wrestling in 2019 and went on to taste success in major promotions such as WWE and AEW. In the past, he has held the DEFY World Championship and has been one-half of the DEFY Tag Team Champions alongside Christopher Daniels.
Igniting a feud with Christian Cage
On this week’s edition of AEW Dynamite, Swerve Strickland was confronted by Christian Cage. They had a verbal exchange which ended in a massive betrayal for the champ. The Gates of Agony (Toa Linoa & Bishop Kaun) and Brian Cage turned on Strickland and launched a gruesome attack. This marks the dissolution of the Mogul Embassy.
With Christian Cage setting his sights on the AEW World Championship, Swerve Strickland now has a huge challenge at his hands.
Soft Ground Wrestling Uganda will benefit greatly from the money raised by WWE alum Mace and Mansoor, as well as others.
SGW Uganda has become a hit online in recent months after notable names began sharing the promotion on social media. Both AEW’s Will Ospreay and TNA Wrestling’s Jordynne Grace donated to a GoFundMe fundraiser aimed at providing a standard wrestling ring as well as other operating needs.
Now Mace and Mansoor have been able to raise more money for SGW Uganda. On Twitter, Mansoor revealed that through a live stream, they had raised over $28,000. This stream included some notable names in wrestling, including AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland, TNA X-Division Champion Mustafa Ali, Maven Huffman, YouTuber Matt McMuscles, and others.
Incredibly excited to announce we have raised $28,731.89 for @SGWug thanks to all of your generous support!
We couldn’t have done this without all our wonderful friends who joined us for the fundraiser. Thank you to all who participated and donated.
In a subsequent tweet, Mansoor explained that this money can be put towards six months of food, beds and mosquito nets, an extension on their lease and a storage unit for a wrestling ring. SGW Uganda has been using a ring made of mud so far, but that will hopefully change given the money raised.
One thing SGW Uganda won’t have to put this money towards is a van that’ll allow the promotion to take their show on the road. In a follow-up tweet, Mansoor explained that his mother has donated enough to buy a van in memory of her father who gifted them a win when Mansoor’s sister was born.
My mother, my actual shoot mom, has told us she is donating enough money to purchase a van for @SGWug
She wants to honor my late grandfather, George Vrakas, who gifted us a van when my little sister was born ??
SGW Uganda isn’t just a wrestling promotion but is a school that trains over 180 students. With this money, SGW Uganda will be able to take huge steps to the future with fans excited to see what’s next.
Swerve Strickland won the AEW World Title at Dynasty last month to end Samoa Joe’s reign and usher in a new era for himself and the company. He admits it’s a lot of pressure to carry AEW on his back, but he was ready for the responsibilities. Speaking on AEW Close Up with Renee Paquette, he said representing change will bring some detractors.
Strickland compared wearing the coveted AEW World Championship to, “fitting into a perfect shoe that was made for you.” He knows you can’t please everybody and there will always be resistance when changes and history are made. He sees some of the online negativity, but it doesn’t get him down. Instead, he uses it as motivation to keep going and showing the world this is Swerve’s House.
“For me to be at the top of that there’s a lot of pressure to be the first of anything, there’s a lot of pressure. I can already read in the comments and stuff, and I think they’re waiting to see how I respond to that. They wanna see me take that bait, but they don’t understand the professionalism and the mind state that I’m at, at this point. They wanna see the cracks form, they’re waiting for it. Coming off of Dynasty into Dynamite, it’s like, ‘Boom!’ right into the action., and I’m like, ‘Good, it’ll give you no room to speak..”
Swerve Strickland shows off his dangerous offense
All Just a Practice Run…
Swerve kept busy in the days leading up to his win at AEW Dynasty and did the media rounds to spread the word about the company he wants to lead. The day before the PPV, he threw out the first pitch before the Saint Louis Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium. He had the AEW World Title with him for photo-ops, even though he had yet to win the gold.
“I feel like the last two or three years was preparation. It’s not like I was presented to do these things. It’s just something that I wanted to do. I’m inspired by Jericho and Fozzy, touring and still making it to TV, doing Talk is Jericho and doing all the shows, and all these guys who have these outlets. I was like, ‘man I wanna do that.'”
“This was all just a practice run, like oil in a machine, and now [points at AEW World Title] I am the machine. The machine is here because I’ve been doing this for a while with my small team, my small crew and I have to lead that. I’ve been leading these small crews in music and everywhere and it’s like now we’re gonna add this responsibility on top of that.”
The AEW World Title commands a great amount of time and attention. The schedule may be grueling, but Strickland has been putting himself to the test for years with his own hustle. Now he is the face of AEW, and more than prepared to take on the role of a lifetime.
